Abu Dhabi Saracens’ impressive pack is rarely out of the headlines but four tries from a burgeoning back division saw them get back to winning ways at home with a superb 38-7 defeat of Jebel Ali Dragons.
– UAE: AD Harlequins need “Man Utd spirit” to win title
– UAE: Roelof Kotze believes UAE rugby can flourish
– #360view: Back to drawing board for northern hemisphere
It was a blitzkrieg of a different sort at Al Ghazal last night as Sarries served up some scintillating scoring moves to blow away Dragons in this six-try romp.
Impressive South African centre Garth van Niekirk, UAE international full-back Hassan Al Noobi and another brace for stand-in scrum-half Stephen Hamilton helped Sarries build the first brick of making Al Ghazal a fortress once again.
Even the two tries scored by forwards Paul Hindshaw and Jonny Taylor owed much to slick hands and searing pace from the hosts.
“We were renowned for being a bit of a forwards team last year but people are lining us up in the forwards and we’re trying to get away from that,” said fly-half Matt Hutchings.
“We’re starting to use the backs a bit more. We’ve got some good boys back there, quick boys, so we’re trying to get it out a bit wider to the likes of Sean (Stevens), Garth, Hassan and Vito (Tuivione).
3G up at Al Ghazal has been rubbish but hosts Abu Dhabi Saracens have been resplendent. They lead Jebel Ali Dragons 38-7 with minutes left
— Matt Jones (@MattJones360) October 23, 2015
“We haven’t had the same backline in any game either. Sean’s just coming back from a fractured hand against Doha, Vito got knocked out against Harlequins so only came back last week, so it’s starting to come together and we’re looking forward to (the derby with Abu Dhabi rivals) Quins now (next week).”
Dragons started well in the capital last night but Sarries are a formidable outfit on their own patch and they opened the scoring when Van Niekirk powered through a gap to go over after several phases.
Dragons full-back Ryno Fourie did well to chop down Taylor as the last man after a lightening run on the half-hour, only for fellow flanker Hindshaw to break through a few tackles from 20 metres to extend the lead.
It was 19-0 at the interval as South African Taylor brilliantly finished off a move he had started. Hooker Gio Fourie fielded a kick just inside his own half and fed Taylor.
A ferocious run deep into Dragons territory from Sarries skipper Jaen Botes caused havoc and Taylor was on hand to receive Tuivione’s final pass to score the game’s best try.
Sarries got a bonus point minutes into the second half with their fourth try, a Hamilton touch down.
Dragons fired briefly, Fourie cutting a brilliant line off the wing to score from 30 metres to make it 26-7 but their fight-back was quenched when more intense Sarries scrimmaging saw Hamilton cross for his second. Great hands in the backs sent Tuivione racing down the left, who drew the full-back to send Al Noobi over to complete the rout.
Dragons’ Niall Statham said: “It was disappointing, especially when you consider we got our first win last week. We just couldn’t get a foothold in the game with our set piece under pressure.
“Saracens got into the ascendancy in those areas and they are a strong team on the front foot.”
